Conveyer mechanism



Dec. 28, 1937. R. H. -fsoRDoNv v.2,103,901

V CONVEYER MECHANISM Filed Fveb. 14, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R o T N E V m.

R. H'. GoRDoN .coNvEYER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14, A1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Fo Peri ff. 6'0 fda 7?.-

y BY

9 A17 RNEYS- Dec."2 8, '1937, R. H. lGolf-mow coNvEYER MEcHANIsM' Filed Feb. 14, 1935 A Sheefs-Sheet 3 QTTORNEYS.

Dec. 2s, 1937. y R, H, GORD'ON 2,103,901

coNvEYE'R MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14, 19:55 4 sheets-sheet 4" s l INVENTOR 1 oer H. Gordan.'

Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITEDfsTATEs coNvEYER MEcHANIsM Robert H. Gordon, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Parker Rust Proof Company, a corporation of Michigan Application February 14, 1935, Serial No. 6,417

14 Claims.i

A during different phases of movement thereof, the

principal object being the provision of a simple,

economical and efficient mechanism of this type.v

Although the mechanism provided by the presentr invention is applicable for use wherever it is desired to transfer and/or treat in any manner any type of articles, for the purposet'of simplicity only reference hereafter will be made to its application to a rust proofing' treatment only for articles such as parts of automobiles, its application for other uses such as plating, painting or the like, and for other types of articles, and the modication of the illustrative embodiment shown to yadapt it to such other uses and/or articles, will loe-apparent to those skilled in the art upon the disclosure herein. l

The invention lpertains to the provision of means particularly applicable for conveying articles to be rustproofed through the various stages of a rustproong process.

conveying systems, it is frequently advantageous to employ mono-rail or single track conveyer sections for conveying article holders lengthwise through those portions of the system which are l a not congested and where the articles travel com- 40 sidewise movement of the article holderon a double rail or double track conveyer section facilitates the simultaneous treatment of a large number of articles in a relatively short rustproofing tank which has only a small surface of rustprooiing solution exposed to evaporation by atmosphere. 4

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a completely automatic conveying system of this character which has diverseportionsl thereof constructed and arranged and driven in a. predetermined timed relation to move thel articles in that manner, and at that speed which is best suited for each particular stage of a rustproong process respectively.

Another object of the invention is to provide In systems of this character, as Well as in other improved transfer mechanism, in a conveying system of this charactergfor automatically transferring loaded articleholders, or other articles, from a mono-rail or single track conveyer section to a double rail or double track section thereof, and for thereafter returning the article holders to the mono-rail section.

A further' object of the invention is to provide transfer mechanism of this kind which is adapted to cause an abrupt, substantially 90 degree 10 change in the.` direction of movement of comparatively long article holders so as to accommodate the movement thereof throughout a predetermined, substantially endless circuit with the provision of relatively little clearance space at 15 certain of the locations at which the direction of movement of the article holders is changed.

A still further object of theinvention is `to v provide transfer mechanism of this character which occupies only a relatively small amount of floor space and which requires only a comparatively short path through whicli to move the article holdersv from one rail section to another.

An additional object of the invention is to provide transfer mechanism of this kind which is particularly adapted to facilitate the close coupling of the mono and double rail sections of the conveying system.

Other objects of the invention are to provide improved means in the article holdertransfer apparatus for automatically centering the article holders with respect to the rails of the double track section as they are moved thereto from the mono-rail section; to provide mechanism of this V'character which effects a rapid transfer of the article holders from one rail section to anoth'er without excessively vibrating, jarring or otherwise 'displacing the articles thereon; to provide for movement of the articlefholders from the mono-rail section to the double rail section in. the'general direction in which they are normally moved along the latter `rail sectionfto provide improved driving apparatus for the transfer mechanism which is normally releasably held against operation and adapted to promptly start and complete a transverse cycle when released; and to provide means responsive to the presentment of an article holder at a predeterminedlocation relative to one rail section for automatically releasing and energizing the driving means 5u chases on the article holders for the reception of the foregoing hooks, one of said purchases being suificiently restricted to'holdv the movement of the article holders relative to that hook within close limits and the other purchase being constructed to permit sufficient movement of the article holder relative to the hooks to accommodate travel of the article holder around a curved course. l

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in winch:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustrational planv View of a system for conveying articles through the various stages of a rustprooilng process;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmenary, side elevational view illustrating the mono-rail section of the conveying system as viewed from the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 and showing an article holder by which a plurality of articles may be supported and moved in a'unitary fashion;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitutaken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 -is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse vertical sectional' view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '1 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse rtical sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of s. 2;

. Fig'. 8 is afragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-9 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal, vertical sectidnal view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1;

In Fig. 1 of the drawings is illustrated an embodiment of. the improved conveying system in rust proong apparatus which generally includes a washing station 20 at which articles to be rust proofed are subjected to an initial washing operation either by manual or by mechanical application thereto of water, or other suitable cleaning agents. The washing station 20 preferably in solutions for upon the articles passing.' through the casing 22. The next successive portion of the rust proofing apparatus' includes a rust proofing unit, best shown in Fig. 2, which comprises a rust proofing solution tank 24, a cold water rinsing tank 25, and a chromic acid solution tank 26, arranged in adjacent, aligned relationship witha drying chamber 21., The tanks 24, 25 and 26 may contain any suitable solutions requiredfor the p ticular rust proofing process to which the articles are to be subjected. 'I'he tanks 24, 25 and 26 and, the drying chamber 21 are preferably enclosed within' a casing or housing 28 having an inlet opening 29 .at its left end and an outlet opening 30 at the right end of the unit, as viewed in Figsl 1 and 2. Loading and unloading docks, represented in the drawings by corresponding legends, are also provided, at which articles to be treated may be loaded upon the improved conveying?l mechanism and removed therefrom after the n ust proofing operation, respectively,

'I'he conveying apparatus includes a system of I l2li and'unloading dock in the-order recited, as

illustrated in Fig. 1. The double rail section 32 extends lengthwise of the course of the mono-rail section 3| and serves in effect, to by-pass articles from one end to the other end of the mono-rail section. It should be understood that the rails of the double rail section 32 are substantially perpendicular tothe ends of the course defined by the mono-rail section 3|` and that, although the conveyer of the mono-rail section 3l extends in an endless course, that portion thereof which is illustrated as being below the rustproofing unit in Fig. 1, does not carry the article holder, but

- merely serves to complete the circuit of the article holder carriers of the mono-rail section.

The mono-rail section includes a. continuous rail 33 of I-shaped cross section, illustrated in Fig. 3, and the double rail section includes a pair dinal sectional view of the transfer mechanism of channel shaped rails 34 arranged in spaced relationship, as illustrated in Fig. '1, each of which is associated with a lower rail 35 comprising an angle bar. These rails are supported by suitable f rame structure (not shown) which is so constructed and arranged as not to obstruct the free passage of articlesv and article holders tween the flanges vof opposite sides of the rail 35 respectively, Iand having rolling contact engagement with one side portion of the lowermost fiange. of the rail 33 respectively. Each carriage 31 is permanently fixed to one of the links of the chain 36 and is provided with a coupling element 40 extending below the chain 36 to which ahook 4| is attached at 42. Theleading carriage 31 of each pair of adjacent carriages is provided with an outwardly extending arm 43 for operating a switch of control apparatus; hereinafter described.

The hooks of each pair of adjacentcarriages 31 are receivable in restricted purchases 44 and 45 provided on elongatedarticle holder, generally designated by the numeral 46 in Fig. 3, each of which include a supporting rod 41 and a substantially parallel article-supporting member 48.

The supporting rod 41 and the article supporting member 48 are rigidly connected together by spaced bars 49 extending substantially perpendicular to the supporting rod 41 and pairs of inclined transverse bars 50 and 5| which restrict the purchases 4 4 and 45 and between which the hooks 4l of the carriages 31 are receivable. The inclined bars 50 have upper end. portionsconnected withr the supporting rod 41 which are spaced apart a distance only slightly greater than the width of one hook of each pair of hooks 4| so as to conne the movement of the article holder 46 relative to one carriage of each of the pairs of carriages with relatively close limits. The inclined bars 5| have upper end portions connected with the supporting rods 41 which are spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the width of the other hook 4I of each pair of carriages in order to accommodate sufficient movement of the article holder 46 relative to the other carriage of. each pair'of carriages to permit movement of the article holder in a curved course at certain portions of the mono-rail section 3|. y

The conveyer-chain 36 is continuously driven in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, by a caterpillar driving device, generally designated by the numeral 52 which includes a pairl of spaced sprocket wheels 53 around which a chain 54 is disposed. The chain 54 has outwardly extending projections 55 which register with and t into the spaces between adjacent pivots of the links of the chain 36 to establish a driving connection therewith. One of the sprocket wheels 53 is driven by a variable speed motor 56 which is operatively connected by a chain 51 with a speed reducing transmission 58. The transmission 58 includes a shaft on which a bevel gear 59 is fixed and the bevel gear is meshed with a bevel gear 60 which is inl turn positively con.

, ends of the rustprooiing unit respectively. The

upper side of the loop formed by each conveyer chain 6| has a left end portion which is held in a substantially horizontal position between the sprocket wheel 62 and an intermediate sprocket wheel 64. Thatlportion of the upper side of the loop formed by each conveyer chain 6| whichv extends rightwardly from the sprocket wheel 64 is inclined upwardly over a sprocket wheel 65 located Substantially directly above the junction of the tank 26 and the drying chamber 21, and the extreme right end portion of the upper side of the loop formed by each conveyer chain 6| is inclined downwardly from the sprocket wheel 65 to the sprocket wheel 63. The lower or return.

side of each loop formed by each conveyer chain 6| passes around a driving sprocket wheelf66 and around an adjacent adjustable .idler sprocket wheel 61, by whichthe chain may -be tensioned, andlthen extends around a related sprocket wheel .-,Bllfiom which each chain is inclined upwardly to a location slightly above the. upper elevation of the tank 26, and passes around a sprocket wheel 69. The remaining portion of the return side of each loop formed by each conveyer chain 6I then extends substantially horizontally over the tanks 24, 25 and 26 to the extreme left hand sprocket wheel 62, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Those portions of the upper and lower sides of each loop formed by each conveyer chain 6| are supported, as illustrated in Fig. '7, by the rails 34 and angle bars 35, the links of the conveyer chain 6| being provided with rollers 10 by which they are suitably supported upon the tracks 34 and angle bars 35. Alternate links of the conveyer chain 6| are connected together by upstanding plates 1| disposed on respectively opposite sides thereof, between which recesses 4'l2 are formed for the reception of the end portions of the article holders.

The conveyer chains 6| of the double rail conveyer sections are vdriven in timed relation to and preferably at a slower rate than the chain 36 of the mono-rail conveyer section, by a shaft 13 having a bevel gear 14 thereon meshed with the bevel gear 60 of the caterpillar driving mechanism 52. The shaft 13 has a spur gear 15 on its left end which is meshed with a spur gear 16 mounted on a longitudinally extending shaft 11 which extends substantially the entire lengthof the rustproong unit. The shaft 11 is substantially parallel to the shaft .13 and has a, right end portion overlapping the latter shaft which is provided with a bevel gear 18 that is meshed with a. bevel gear 19 mounted on a shaft 80 extending transversely of the double rail section 32. The shaft has a sprocket 8| `fixed thereon which is operatively connectedby a chain 82 with a sprocket wheel 83 fixed on a shaft 84 by which driving sprocket wheels 66 of the double rail conveyer chains 6| are carried.A

Three elevating and lowering units, generally designated in Fig. 2 by the numeral 85, are provided for lifting the articles over the extremities of the tanks 24, 25 and 26 and lowering such articles into the latter. One of these elevating and lowering units is provided adjacent the left extremity of the tank 24, another is arranged at the adjacent extremities of the tank 24 and the tank 25'and the third is located at the adjacent extremities of the tank 25 and the tank 26. The

inclined right end portions of the double rail section 32 is relied upon tolift the articles over the right extremity of the tank 26 and to bring such articlesinto the drying chamber 21. The article raising and lowering units 85 are substantially identical and therefore, a description of one unit will serve for all. Each unit 85 includes a pair of endless conveyer chains 86 which travel in a looped course defined by rectangularly spaced idler sprocket wheels,81, B8, 89 and 90, respectively, and a driving sprocket wheel 9| which is located between the lower idler sprocket wheels 89 and 90 at an elevation above the latter, 4as illustrated in Fig. 2. The idler sprocket wheels are suitably rotatably mounted on stub shafts 92 and a driving sprocket wheel 9| for each conveyer chain 86 is xed on a shaft 93 extending transversely of the double rail section, the conveyer chains 864 being disposed in substantially vertical planes on opposite sides of the side planes of the tanks 24, 25 and 26. The shaft 93 of each article raising and lowering unit 85, is provided on one end with a bevel gear 94, which is meshed with a bevel gear 95 xed to the longitudinally extending shaft 11, the latter shaft being driven, as heretofore set forth, by the shaft 13 which is operatively connected with the transmission' 58 of the caterpillar driving device 52.l The speed of the elevating and lowering units 85 may be predetermined by 'the size of the various gears of the driving fil mechanism and may be varied by changing the speed of the motor `56. In order to prevent dry\ i'ng of the various solutions ofthe tanks upon the articles during transfer thereof from one tank to another, the operating speed of the units preferably exceeds thatof the mono-rail and double rail conveyer sections.

` Pivotally mounted oneach conveyer chain 85 of the article elevating and 'lowering units are crank members 96, each having an inwardly extending arm 91, onthe extremity of which is provided a V-shaped socket element 98 for receiving the end portions of the supporting rod 41 of the article holder 46. The conveyer chains 85 of the article elevating and lowering units travel in vertical planes substantially perpendicular to the planes in which the article holders are moved by the horizontal portion of the conveyer chains 6| Y of the double rail section 32, and these conveyer chains are driven in a suitable timed relation to facilitate the removal of the article holders from the conveyer chains 6| as the latter bring' the article holders into the path of movement of the socket element 98, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8. The article holders 46, and the'articles thereon, are removed from the conveyer chains 6| of the double rail conveyer section when they are moved thereby into registration with the left side of the first elevating and lowering units 85. The article holders, together with the articles thereon, are moved upwardly and translated to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, sufdciently to bring the articles into registration withthe end portion of the tank 24 and then they are moved downwardly in the path defined by the right side of the loop formed by the conveyer chain 05 and deposited upon the conveyer chains 6| by which they are moved further to the right until they register with the'right side of the next adjacent elevating and lowering unit 85, by which the foregoing operating cycle is repeated inv transferring the articles fromone tank to the next adjacent tank. This same operation occurs in the transfer of the articles from the tank 24 to the tank 25 and from the latter tothe tank 26.

In order to prevent an article holder from being carried past the upwardly moving side of either of the elevating and lowering units 85, an inverted V-shaped ramp 99 is provided on the track 34 adjacent each upwardly moving side of each elevating and lowering unit.l The ramp 99 prevents the passage of any article holder which has not been picked up by the article receiving socket elements 98'of the conveyer chains 06 and raises the article holder upwardly suiiiciently to engage it upon the upper edge portions of the plates 1| of the links of the conveyerchains 64|. lIn this s way, movement of an article holder, which has not been picked up by the socket elements 96 of the elevating and lowering units 35,'rightwardly beyond the upwardlymoving sidesv of lthe conveyer chains of such units is prevented, and such article holders are held in registration with the upwardly 'moving sides of the conveyer chains 85 until one of the next succeeding pairs of socket elements remove the article holder from. the conveyer chain 6I ofthe double rail section 32.

The transfer mechanism illustrated in Fig'. 4, is provided for transferring the article holders, and the articles thereon, fromlthe mono-rail section to the receiving end of the double rail'section 32 at the left end of Fig. 2. vThis apparatus includes a pair of spaced arms |'00 which are pivotally and slidably mounted intermediate their ends upon pins |0| respectively which extend through a longitudinal slot |02 formed in each of the arms |00, respectively. The pins |0| are carried by suitable brackets |03 mounted on the frame structure of the transfer apparatus and each arm |00 is located on the outer side of one of the rails of the double rail section 32 respectively. Mounted on the outer end of each transfer arm |00 is a trough-shaped receiver |04 in which one 'end portion of the rod 41 of the article holder .46 is receivable. Provided adjacent each troughshaped receiver |04 is al vertically upstanding plate '|05 which extends diagonally with respect to the direction of movement of the article holder by the transfer apparatus and which is adapted tocenter the article holder with respect to the rails of the double rail section 32.l

TheI right end portion of each transfer arm |00 is pivotally attached to a crank arm |06 carried by relatively short shaft |01 on which a sprocket wheel |08 is fixed. The shaft |01 is journaled in suitable bearings |09 and the sprocket wheel |08 thereof is operatively connected, by a chain ||0, with a sprocket wheel fixed toqa shaft 4||2 which extends transversely of the double rail section 32 and on the intermediate portion of which is xed a sprocket wheel ||3. The sprocket wheel ||3 is operatively connected by a sprocket chain ||4 with a speed reducing transmission i I6 which is so connected as to be drivenA by an electric motor, or other prime mover ||1..

The transmission mechanism |6 is operatively connected with one end of the shaft of the motor ||1 and the other end of such shaft is provided with a. brake drum ||9 with which brake shoes |20 are associated, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The brake shoes |20 are pivotally supported by verti- 'cally upstanding levers |2|, each of which is -pivotally mounted at its\lower end to a base structure |22, or other suitable support.l The upper ends of the vertically upstanding levers |2| are pivotally connected together by toggle mechanism |23, one arm of which has an outwardly projecting extension |24, which serves as a brake operating lever.4 The upright levers |2| and the brake shoes |20 carried thereby are resiliently urged together 'by a' coil spring |25 which bears between a plate |26 on the right hand lever |2| and a plate |21 fixed to the end of a cross rod |28 which is slidably mounted in an aperture formed in the plate |26 and secured to theleft hand lever |2|', as illustrated in Fig. 6. The spring |25 normally-yiellably holds the brake shoes |20 in an appliedA condition and the brake shoes are adapted to be released by the action of a plunger |29 of a solenoid |30, the plunger |29 bearing upwardly 'upon the operating lever |24 so as to rotate the suitable circuit with starting and stoppingl switches |3| and |32 respectively, shown in Fig. l.

-The motor starting and solenoid energizing switch |3| isprovided with a control arm |33 which is located adjacent the mono-rail section 3| and\ so constructed and arranged as to be operable by engagement with the pin 43 of the leading carriagesy` 31 by which the article holder is supported. Contact between the switch con` trol arm |33 and the pin v43 occurs when the, article holder is in registration with the receiving, or left end of the double rail section 32, as viewed in Fig. 1, and closingl of this switch resulting from such contact, causes the brake mechanism to be released and the motor ||1 to be energized. The motor |.1 drives the outer end of each transfer arm through the course illustrated by the arrows |34 in Fig. 4, causing the troughshaped receiver |04 to follow a looped course, a

portion of `which intersects the path of movement of the article holders on the mono-rail section 3| in an upwardly moving direction. When the arm |00 is returned to its normal full line position, as shown in Fig. 4, vthe outer end of one of the crank arms |06 engages a control lever |35 of the motor stopping and solenoid de-energizig switch |32, as illustrated in Fig. 5. This action applies the brakes and stops the motor I1, thereby retaining the article holder in the full line position illustrated in Fig. 4. 'I'he switches |3| and |32 are of the double throw type and they are so electrically connected together that, as the switch |32 is operated to open the circuit of the motor ||1 and solenoid |30, the switch |3| is conditioned to close this circuit when the arm I|33 thereof is engaged by the pin I43 of the leading carriage of the next pair of carriages 31, thereby conditioning the switch mechanism for another complete, operating cycle. The switch |32 is preferably arranged to be operated by one of the crank arms |06 of the transfer driving' mechanism, but this switch may be arranged to be responsive to movement of any selected part of such driving'mechanism.

The article holder remains at rest upon the trough-shaped receiving element |04 inthe position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 4, until an arm |36 carried by the sprocket wheel 62 and rotated thereby in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, displaced the article holder from the receivingl elements |04 and deposits the same upon the'main conveyer chains 6| of thel double rail section 32. The chains 6| of the double rail section 32 thenmove the article to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, until the article holders and articles thereon are raised and lowered in the foregoing manner by the rst elevating unit 05.

The article holders 46 are removed from the right end of the double'rail section 32 and deposited upon the chain of the mono-rail section 3| by transfer apparatus which .is substantially identical in construction to, but which .operates in a reverse manner from, that shown in Figs. 4 and v5 and described above. 'I'he transfer apparatus which is at the discharge end of the double rail section 3| includes a pair of longitudinally extending transfer arms |00', each of which is slidably and pivotally mounted immey diate its ends upon a pin 0.| carried by a bracket Each pin |0| extends through a longitudinally extending slot |02 formed in a transfer bar |00'. The inner end of each transfer bar is pivotally attached to a crank arm |06 carried by a relatively short shaft |01' 'on which a sprocket wheel |08 is flxed. The sprocket wheels |08' are each operatively connected by a sprocket chain ||0 with a sprocket wheel respectively, mounted on a shaft ||2' which extends transversely of the double rail conveyer section.

The shaft I2' is provided with a driving sprocket wheel I|3' which is operatively connected by a provided on the outer ends of the transfer arms 'Ihe article holder is removed from the |00. discharge ends of the conveying chains 6| and deposited in the receiving elements |04' by arms |36', one carried by each sprocket wheel 63 of the opposite sides of the double rail conveyer section 32, respectively, and when the starting switch I3 I is closed in the foregoing manner, the driving mechanism of the transfer apparatus moves each receiving element |04' through the loop shaped course illustrated by the arrows |34 in Fig. 9, a portion of which intersects the path of movement of the 'carriages 31 of the mono-rail section 3| in a downwardly extending direction. The article holders are deposited upon the hooks 4| of the carriages 31 and the discharging transfer apparatus is returned to its normal full line position shown in Fig. 9. When the transfer arms |00 reach their normal position, the switch |32 is` actuated by the end of one of the crank arms`|06 to open the circuit of the motor and the solenoid of the brake mechanism. 'Ihis operation causes the transfer arms |0|' to be held at rest and also reconditions the switch circuit so that the starting switch |3|' will commence the foregoing cycle when it is actuated by engagement of the pin 43 of one ofthe carriages of the next successive 'pair of carriages.

The mono-rail section then conveys the article holders and articles thereon to the unloading dock, indicated at the right end of Fig. 1, at which the articles are removed from the article holder by attendants. The article holder then continues to travel throughout the course defined by the mono-rail section 3| to the loading dock where they are again loaded.

The foregoing transfer apparatus requires relatively little floor space for its accommodation, and, since, `at .the left end of the double rail section, it moves the articles in a direction substantially perpendicular to their prior course of movement and, at the left end section, it moves the articles in a direction substantially perpendicular.

to their future course of movement, no clearance spaces are required toaccommodate turning of the article holders throughout a curved course and it is therefore possible to employ article holders of relatively great length. All phases of the operation of the transfer apparatus are completely automatic and .under the control of mechanism that is responsive to movement of the articles throughout respective portions of vtheir courses of travel. No manual attention whatsoever is required and, due vto the construction of the article holders and the various parts of the transfer apparatus by which they are engaged during manipulation thereof, all chance of contact of the articles with portions of the transfer apparatus is positively eliminated. The movement of the article holders in the looped courses defined by the arrows |34 and |34' .prevents sudden and jerky reversal of direction of movement thereof and, consequently, eliminates displacement of the articles relative to each other andto the article holder, during the transfer operation. It should be understood that' While only one article holder has been mainly referred to, in practice a plurality of article holders is moved in succession throughout the courses defined.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Conveying apparatus including a system of rails having adjacent mono-rail and double rail sections provided with angularly disposed transfer portions, said transfer portions of said rail sections each being substantially horizontally disposed, means for movably supporting articles associated with each rail section, respectively, separable holders movable by said means, and apparatus for automatically transferring said article holders from one of said adjacent transfer portions of said rail sections to the other including a carrier constructed and arranged to move said article holders bodily in .the general direction of movement thereof on one of the transfer portions of said rail sections. v

2. Conveying apparatus including a system of rails having adjacentmono-rail and double rail sections provided with angularly disposed transfer portions, said transfer portions of said railsections each being substantially horizontally disposed, means for movably supporting articles associated with each rail section, respectively, articleholders movable by said means, apparatus for automatically transferring said article holders from one of said adjacent transfer portions of said rail sections tothe other including a carrier constructed and arranged to move said article holders bodily in the` general direction ofl move- Y ltransfer portions to the other including a member l for receiving said article, means for supporting and moving said articlein a path intersecting the path of movement of said article on one of said conveyer sections, and a member operable by the other conveyer sections inrtimed relation therewith for shifting said article between the latter conveyer section and said transferring apparatus, the vconstruction and arrangement being such that the member engages and raises said article from said transferring apparatus to engagement with said latter conveyer section.

4. In conveying apparatus comprising delivering. and receiving conveyer sections, one of said conveyer sections being a single track section and the other being a`double track section; apparatus for automatically transferring an article from said delivering conveyer section to said receiving conveyer section, including a member for receiving said article while the latter is supported on said delivering conveyer section, and means for supporting and moving said member'k in an endless cycle extending from said delivering conveyer section toward'the other section and having a path extending upwardly at and intersectl ing the path of movement on said delivering conveyer section said delivering and receiving sec- 5. In conveying apparatus comprising delivering and receiving conveyer sections; apparatus for automatically transferring an article from safd delivering conveyer section to said receiving conveyer section, including a member for receivsection, rotatable -means for removing said article from saidmember and depositing the same on said receiving conveyer section, and mechanism for driving said receiving conveyer and said last mentioned means in a predetermined timed relation.

6. In conveying -apparatus comprising a pair of angularly disposed conveyer sections having adjacent transfer portions; apparatus for automatically transferring'v an article from `one of said transfer portions to the other including a member for receiving said article, means for supporting and moving said article in a path intersecting the path of movement of said article on one of said conveyer sections, and a rotatably movable member operable by the other conveyer sections in timed relation therewith ifor shifting said article between the latter conveyer section and said transferring apparatus.

7. -In conveying apparatus comprising a pair of angularly' disposed conveyer sections having adjacent transfer portions, one of said conveyer sections being a single track section and the other being a double track section,v apparatus for automatically transferringan article from one of said transfer portions to the other including a frame structure, a pair of arms pivotally and slidably mounted intermediate their ends on said frame structure, a member for receiving a portion of an article on the outer end of each arm respectively, and a crank having a crank arm pivotally attached to the opposite end of each arm respectively, and adapted to move said members through a substantially continuous cycle having a portion intersecting the path of movement of said article on one of said conveyer sections duringv I each complete rotation of said crank.

8. In conveying apparatus comprising a pair of angularly disposed conveyer sections having adjacent transfer portions, apparatus for automatically transferring anarticle from one of said transfer portions to the other including a frame structure, a pair of arms pivotally and slidably mounted intermediate their ends on said frame structure, a member for receiving a portion of an article on the outer end of-each arm respectively, a crank having a crank arm pivotally attached to the opposite end of each arm respectively, and adapted to move said members through a substantially continuous cycle having a portion in tersecting the path of movement of said article on one of said conveyer sections during each complete rotation of said crank, and means rotatably operable by the other conveyer section in timed relation therewith for shifting said article between the latter conveyersection and said members.

9. In conveying apparatus comprising a pair of angularly` disposed conveyer sectionsfhaving adjacent transfer portions, apparatus foi` automatically transferringv an article from one of said `transfer portions to the other including a frame structure, a pair of arms pivotally 'and slidably i a crank having a crank arm pivotally attached to the opposite end of each arm respectively, and adapted to move said members through a sub- -stantially continuous cycle having a portion intersecting the path of movement of said article on one of said conveyer sections during each complete rotation ofsaid crank, means operable by the other conveyer `section in timed relation therewith for shifting said article between the latter conveyer section and said members, means Ifor rotating said crank, and means responsive to movement of saidl article into registration 'with said receiving members for automatically controlling the actuation of said crank independent of said receiving members.

10. In conveying apparatus comprising a single track conveyer section and a double track conveyer section. angularly disposed with respect thereto, apparatus for automatically transferring an article holder from said single track conveyer section to said double track conveyer section including members for receiving opposite end portions of said article holders, means including inclined plates on said members for centering said article holder with respect to said double track conveyer section, and means for supporting and moving said members in a loopshaped path extending upwardly at and inter- -secting the path of movement of said article holder on said single track conveyer section and extending toward said ldouble track conveyer section.

1l. In conveying apparatus comprising a pair of angularly disposed conveyer sections having adjacent transfer portions, apparatus for 'transferring an article from one of said transfer portions to the other including a member for receiving said article, means for supporting and moving said member in a looped-shaped path extending downwardly and intersecting the path of course including a system of rails having a monorail section 'forming one path and a double rail section forming another path, said rail sections having adjacent transfer portions extending substantially perpendicular to each other and being substantially horizontally disposed, and apparatus for transferring said article supports from one transfer portion of one rail section to the adjacent transfer portion of the other rail s'ection including a carrier constructed and arranged to remove said article holder from one transfer' portion and move said article holder in a direction substantially perpendicular to its direction of movement on one of said adjacent transfer portions of said'rail sections.

13. In conveying apparatus comprising a single track conveyer section and a double track conveyer section angularly disposed with respect thereto; apparatus for automatically transferring an article holder from said single track conveyer section to said double track conveyer 'section including members for receiving opposite end-portions of said article holders, means on said members for centering said article holders with respect to said double track conveyer section, and means for supporting and moving said members 1n a loop shaped path extending upwardly at and intersectingthe path of movement of said article holder on said single track' conveyer section and extending toward said double track conveyer section.

14. Apparatusy for conveying articles through a predetermined course including an elongated support, means separable. from said support for movably supporting said support and confining Athe movement thereof to a predetermined course including a system of rails having a mono-rail section forming a looped path and a double rail section forming another path within said looped path, said rail sections having adjacent transfer portions extending substantially perpendicular to each other and being substantially horizontally disposed, and apparatus for transferring said article supports from one transferred portion of one rail section to the adjacent transfer portion,

of the other rail section, including a carrier con- 

